Nagasaki today demanded North Korea fully abandon nuclear weapons, while urging India to sign nuclear treaties, as the Japanese city marked 63 years since it was flattened by an atom bomb.
Thousands of people offered a minute's silence at 11.02am the exact moment the city was hit by the world's second and last nuclear attack on August 9, 1945, killing more than 70,000 people.
"As the victim of nuclear bombs, our country has a duty and responsibility for taking the initiative to eliminate nuclear weapons," the Nagasaki mayor Tomihisa Taue told the ceremony.
"The Japanese government must strongly demand complete abolishment of nuclear weapons in North Korea," Mr Taue said, standing at the foot of the Peace Statue ? a bronze figure of a man pointing to the sky.
"It should seriously consider the creation of a Northeast Asian nuclear weapon-free zone," he said.
On Wednesday the people of Hiroshima held a remembrance to mark the 63rd anniversary of the first ever nuclear attack, which killed 140,000.
The US' decision to drop the two bombs was followed by Japan's surrender in World War Two on August 15. However, it ushered in the nuclear age and an era of fear of the use of atomic bombs again.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who flew from Beijing early today after attending the opening ceremony of the Olympics, renewed his efforts to "spearhead" a global campaign against atomic bombs.
North Korea has agreed to abandon its nuclear programme in exchange for aid, but it is still uncertain if it has completely met its promise to permanently dismantle its atomic plants and hand over all nuclear material and weaponry.
Mr Taue also urged India to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) amid growing concerns over its atomic deal with the United States.
"India, whose nuclear co-operation with the United States is a cause of concern, should be strongly urged to join the NPT and CTBT," Mr Taue said.
India has been under international pressure over a controversial nuclear deal in which the United States will provide the energy-starved nation with civilian nuclear fuel and technology.
Japan has voiced concerns over the deal and urged New Delhi to sign the two treaties as soon as possible. The country is a key member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group of 45 nations, which controls trade in nuclear fuel, material and technology to make sure they are used only for civilian purposes.
India needs a waiver from the group and ratification by the US Congress before the deal can go through.
*AFP
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
The specs
Engine: 3-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 400hp
Torque: 475Nm
Transmission: 9-speed automatic
Price: From Dh215,900
On sale: Now
if you go
The flights
Etihad, Emirates and Singapore Airlines fly direct from the UAE to Singapore from Dh2,265 return including taxes. The flight takes about 7 hours.
The hotel
Rooms at the M Social Singapore cost from SG $179 (Dh488) per night including taxes.
The tour
Makan Makan Walking group tours costs from SG $90 (Dh245) per person for about three hours. Tailor-made tours can be arranged. For details go to www.woknstroll.com.sg
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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Civil%20War
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
The biog
Favourite hobby: taking his rescue dog, Sally, for long walks.
Favourite book: anything by Stephen King, although he said the films rarely match the quality of the books
Favourite film: The Shawshank Redemption stands out as his favourite movie, a classic King novella
Favourite music: “I have a wide and varied music taste, so it would be unfair to pick a single song from blues to rock as a favourite"
Straightforward ways to reduce sugar in your family's diet
- Ban fruit juice and sodas
- Eat a hearty breakfast that contains fats and wholegrains, such as peanut butter on multigrain toast or full-fat plain yoghurt with whole fruit and nuts, to avoid the need for a 10am snack
- Give young children plain yoghurt with whole fruits mashed into it
- Reduce the number of cakes, biscuits and sweets. Reserve them for a treat
- Don’t eat dessert every day
- Make your own smoothies. Always use the whole fruit to maintain the benefit of its fibre content and don’t add any sweeteners
- Always go for natural whole foods over processed, packaged foods. Ask yourself would your grandmother have eaten it?
- Read food labels if you really do feel the need to buy processed food
- Eat everything in moderation
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
The lowdown
Bohemian Rhapsody
Director: Bryan Singer
Starring: Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Gwilym Lee
Rating: 3/5